Star Wars VIII: Shadows of the Past
by NennexGaming
Summary: Victory for the Resistance! After successfully infiltrating and destroying the massive planet/weapon Starkiller Base, the First Order has been dealt a heavy loss. General Leia Organa has received both pieces of the map that can lead to her brother. Ray and Chewbacca travel to his coordinates, hoping to find the long lost Jedi.
1. Chapter 1

"I believe this is yours," Ray said to the bearded man standing a few feet from her. She was holding out the lightsaber that had belonged to Luke Skywalker. The man switched from looking at her to looking at the weapon in her hand.

"You think that this belongs to me?" the man asked.

"This is the lightsaber of Luke Skywalker," Ray responded.

"And you think that I'm him?" The man walked forward until he was just two feet from Ray. Getting no reply, he slowly lifted his arms and removed the hood of his cloak from his head. Looking at his hands, Ray noticed that his right hand was bionic. A layer of metal formed the shape, but she could see the gears, springs, and other mechanisms inserted within the frame.

"I know you're him," Ray finally answered.

"Hmm," the man muttered as he walked back to the ledge and continued to gaze out at the vast ocean in front of him. "Luke Skywalker...haven't been called that name for a long time." There was a long pause. Nothing was heard besides the *SPLASH* of the water on the rocky beach below and the occasional sound of a bird flying overhead. Ray still held the lightsaber in her, now lowered, hand. She had not moved, but was getting slightly annoyed by the silence. "I can tell by your shuffling that you're growing impatient," Luke said, breaking the quiet.

"I didn't just come to bring you your saber. There are other matters at hand. General Leia Organa has been looking for you for a while. The whole..." Luke raised a bionic finger to silence her. He turned back to face her.

"Where is your ship?" he asked. Walking past her, Luke flicked his left wrist, and the lightsaber came right out Ray's hand and into his. Astonished for a second, Ray turned and walked after the Jedi Master. She led him back down the stairs that she had, just earlier, climbed up to find him. After what seemed like forever, they arrived at the base of the staircase. In front of them stood the famous Millennium Falcon. Its docking pads were surrounded in vapor from the engines, which were still warm. R2-D2 was soldering something attached to the loading ramp. As Ray and Luke came closer to the ship, it turned to them. Seeing Luke, R2 gave an orchestra of cheerful beeps and buzzes, clearly excited to see him. "It's nice to see you too, buddy," said Luke as he leaned down and patted R2's blue domed head.

Hearing the ruckus outside, Chewbacca appeared at the top of the ramp. "Grrrh rrh," he happily grunted. Strolling down the ramp, he enveloped Luke in a big, furry, hug. "Ugh...Hey Chewy," Luke groaned as he tried to pry the massive arms off of him. "I know, I know, I've missed you too fur-ball." He almost had to yell over the wookie's excited grunting. Finally freeing himself from the hug, Luke turned to Ray and asked,"So where's Han?" Those three words quickly ended the reunion. Everything was quiet, except for the sounds of steam vapor coming from the ship.

It took all of her strength to hold back the tears, but Ray finally said,"He's...um...dead. Han's dead."


	2. Chapter 2

Kylo Ren, along with several stormtroopers, appeared at the door to the lowering ramp of the command shuttle. A loud *BEEP* notified them that the door was opening and that they could exit. As the stormtroopers filed onto the landing platform, Kylo Ren raised his head to the smoke-filled atmosphere of Mustafar. With the Finalizer looming high above the small planet, he walked over to the nearby building. Because of the fiery terrain, all buildings were built on durasteel platforms with energy shields underneath to protect from the heat. As he approached the grey building, the door to it slid open, revealing scattered dead bodies. The room must have been sealed by the heat, because as soon as the door opened, a big gust of wind blew into the void. There were also three medical droids in the room. Standing over some of the bodies, they must have tried to help them. Now, they were just statues, powered down through the years.

"This place was their tomb," Kylo Ren mumbled to himself. "It led to..."

"Sir!" A stormtrooper captain ran up to him. "Sir, we have located one life signature within the mining facility." Kylo, obviously annoyed by the interruption, stepped into the tomb, ignoring the trooper. He stepped over and around the bodies, taking time to examine each one. He came to a Neimoidian corpse. The green-skinned figure had been sliced diagonally through the chest, almost separating the body entirely.

"Long ago, this Neimoidian was a viceroy of the Trade Federation. He, along with the others in this room, had been summoned here. They were promised diplomatic protection from the Galactic Republic."

"Sir?" The stormtrooper stood puzzled at the threshold.

"They all met their fate! Here! In this room! Killed by the pupil of the one who had promised them safety." Kylo furiously slammed his right hand down on a console, cracking the screen. The stormtrooper captain still stood where he was, afraid to move even the slightest. Without looking up, Kylo asked,"Where is the life form?"

"What...oh...in the mining facility. The left wing of the storage section," the trooper replied.

"Show me," Kylo ordered.

* * *

"We're coming up on D'Qar now," Ray said. She and Chewbacca were piloting the Millennium Falcon, and Luke was standing behind them. The cockpit shook violently as the ship maneuvered out of hyperspace.

"You told them we were coming, right?" Luke said, lurching forward.

"Not exactly. I thought that they..." A loud buzz blasted through the comms.

"Unidentified cruiser, you have entered restricted airspace. State your docking codes or be fired upon."

"Wait! wait! wait! This is the crew of the Millennium Falcon," Ray shouted through the speaker. "We have Luke Skywalker aboard with us. Requesting permission to land." Everyone held their breath as they waited for a response. Ray knew about what they were being threatened with. The Resistance base was armed with ion cannons and tracking missiles. There was no way the Falcon could escape being destroyed. Chewy gave a worried grunt.

Finally the voice was heard again, "Two X-wings are coming to escort you. Follow them to a landing pad. Any other movements will be countered with aggression." Ray spotted the two X-wings and, carefully, she and Chewy steered the Falcon in their direction. They were guided to a pad at the southeast corner of the base. Stepping out of the ship, Ray, Luke, R2, and Chewy were met by six armed troopers. As soon as they saw the familiar faces, however, the soldiers lowered their guns and walked off. R2-D2 gave a few quiet beeps.

"I agree, R2. That was quite the welcome home party," Ray said. While she was talking, A figure in a grey vest walked over to them.


	3. Chapter 3

"You're a sight for sore eyes." Luke turned to face his sister.

"Leia," Luke was, surprisingly, stone faced as he walked up her and gave her a hug. He hadn't seen his sister for decades, but something kept him from showing that he was glad to see her. "Ray told me bout Han. Leia, I'm so sorry. It's all m..."

Leia pushed her brother away. "Now, don't you do this. Don't you go and make this about you." Tears began forming at her eyes. Ray looked around to see a few faces looking in their direction. Leia continued, "It's been years since I've seen or heard from you. And now you're right here, making me wish that maybe you weren't." There was a small pause as she blinked away tears. "Luke," she said quietly,"Ben was influenced by Snoke. It's his fault, not your's." Turning away, Leia walked back to the command center, trying to regain her composure.

* * *

The metal door slid open with a loud HISSS as Kylo Ren walked into a dark hallway. The left wall was lined with control panels and status screens. The right wall was made of clear glass, and behind it, Kylo could see the broken and rusted bodies of astromech droids and medical droids. The ceiling was littered with flickering lights. As he came to the end of the hallway, a second door slid open. He stepped through the door, and it immediately closed behind him. This new room was a maze of crates and cylinders stacked to the ceiling. Kylo walked past column after column without a sound. Outside, he could hear the lava falling over the canyon that he crossed to get here. The storage facility was almost completely separate from the main mining station, except for the power circuit connecting the two. Just like the hallway, lights were flickering everywhere. Suddenly, Kylo heard something metal fall to floor behind him. Spinning around, he quickly ignited his lightsaber and sliced the head off a medical droid. The droid's body fell to floor. In the shadows behind the droid, Kylo could see a hooded figure standing by a crate.

"Impressive work destroying an unarmed medical droid," said the shadow sarcastically. Kylo pointed his saber at him.

"Show yourself!" he demanded. The hooded figure gave a short deep laugh.

"Are you afraid?"

"No, but if only you knew who it is that stands in front of you, then you would be wise to respect me." Kylo could just barely see the outline of the figure, even with the glow of the red lightsaber.

"Oh, I know all about you Kylo Ren, or should I say...Ben Solo." It spoke in a deep, raspy voice. Angered by the comment, Kylo raised his lightsaber to kill his opponent. He didn't expect, however, to be instead hurled backwards into a stack of crates that collapsed on top of him. Furious, Kylo climb out of the mess and leaped at his assailant. With ease, the figure stepped sideways, avoiding the attack. Swing after swing, Kylo kept advancing, yet he never landed a strike. Suddenly, the figure delivered a powerful kick to Kylo's leg, causing him to fall forward to the ground. His lightsaber flew out of his hand and landed in the figure's hand. Igniting it, he aimed the tip at the defeated Sith's head.

"You are careless. It makes you weak, and that is why you lose." The lightsaber was turned off. "However, unlike the ancient masters of the Sith," the figure removed it's hood,"I didn't come here to kill my disciple." Kylo moved onto his kneels and kneeled.

"My apologies, Supreme Leader," he said.

"Call me...Darth Plagueis, Dark Lord of the Sith."


	4. Chapter 4

Finn stood on the balcony outside of his room at the medical wing. It had taken a few tries, but he had finally convinced the doctors at the Resistance base to let him out of his bed. After being severely wounded by Kylo Ren on Starkiller Base, he was placed in an emergency care unit for 5 days. Now, the outside morning air was refreshing.

"It's a little early to be up, isn't it?" Finn said, as the glass door slid open.

"I could say the same for you," replied Ray. She walked up beside him and leaned against the balcony, staring out at forest in front of them. The trees were silhouetted against the bright pale moon. Ray could feel a gentle breeze brush past her face.

"I enjoy coming out here at night. Hearing the wildlife, feeling the breeze. It's so calm and peaceful. It's...relaxing."

"Yeah, it was never like this on Jakku," Ray said, smiling."No matter where you look, all you'd see is just sand." At this, Finn gave a small laugh. "What's so funny?" Ray asked in a low voice, trying to indicate to Finn to lower his.

"Nothin', it's just that...at least you have Jakku. I don't even remember where I'm from." The breeze had stopped, and in the distance, Ray could hear some engineers working. Turning to Finn, she tried to apologize.

"Don't worry about it," he smiled slightly, "What matters is that you found Luke Skywalker."

"What do you mean?" Ray knew the famous Jedi could help in the battle against the First Order, but what did that have to do with her?

"He's going to train you to use the force. To be a Jedi, like him. Isn't he?"

Ray shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know. We haven't talked since I found him. He's mostly with Leia. It's been years since they last saw each other, so it makes sense that they want catch up. Anyways," she gave a small yawn,"I'm going back to bed. Good to see you're getting better." Ray turned and left Finn's room as he continued looking out. The sun was just slightly grazing over the horizon.

A few hours later, the rest of the base had woken up. Technicians were stocking weapons, pilots and their droids were fixing ships, people in the control center were communicating with other planets that were affiliated with the Resistance. Meanwhile, everyone else, including Ray, was in the mess hall eating a breakfast of Bantha meat, vegetables, Corrilian rice balls, and a glass of water. Halfway into her meal, Ray was visited by a dock operator who told her that Luke wanted to see her in Training Room C. After two more bites of a rice ball, Ray went straight to the designated room. Training Room C was one of three gyms within the base. The room was square-shaped, made up of a thick rubber floor and white wooden walls. At the press of a button, though, the floor panels can change to include whatever is necessary for a certain workout. Ray walked into the room and was met by the lightsaber which she had given back to Luke.

"Pick it up," Luke said calmly, walking in from a side door. Ray obediently stepped up to the saber and pulled it from the stand it was on. "From what I hear, you've proved to have some skill with the blade."

"On Jakku, I was self-taught using a metal staff. To me a lightsaber wasn't that much of a difference."

"Well now, that is where you are wrong." Luke stood next to a closed bin in the far left corner of the room. He opened the bin and picked up what was inside.

"A blaster?! Sir, I don't think I'm..." Luke shot the blaster at Ray's chest. As the blast hit her, she stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. Instinctively, Ray looked for a wound but found only a large bruise.

"This is a common ZX-07. It's a blaster that will only leave a bruise its target. Until you are ready for something more deadly, this is what you will blocking against."

Ray fell forwards as she got up. "Wait, you are going to train me as a Jedi? But I'm not sure I'm strong enough to be one." Luke walked over to a bench to sit down.

"Ray, listen to me. I was once like you. Abandoned by my family, left to grow up in the desert with strangers. I was an outcast." Luke stood up and faced Ray. "But I was taught how to be a Jedi. I found my strength in the Force. It's the same strength that I see in you. You can wield a lightsaber and control the Force. You have found your power. Now, all you need is to guided." Luke held up the blaster.

"Alright," Ray sighed and ignited the lightsaber, "I'll give it a try."

"No, try not. Do or do not. There is no try. That is what my master taught me, and that is what I will teach you. Let go of your doubt." Ray got into place as Luke walked back a few feet. When Luke fired again at her, Ray swung the lightsaber to block the bolt, but she was still hit and sent backwards. "You are still unsure of whether you'll do it. This time close your eyes, and trust in your emotions."

"Close my eyes? But how will I see the blaster?" Ray said as she stood back up.

"Don't rely on your eyes. Close your eyes and use the Force to feel the blaster and feel where it is firing. Then, you will be able to use the Force to guide the lightsaber. Now, try again." Ray closed her eyes and began searching for the blaster with her mind. Somehow, she could eventually see a blurred image of Luke holding the blaster at her. She shifted her position and waited. When she heard the sound of the blaster, Ray immediately angled the saber to block the attack. She was successful, and the bolt was deflected to the ground. Luke shot a few more blasts, and each one was either dodged or blocked by Ray. She opened her eyes and saw Luke give a small smile. "Impressive. You are doing extraordinarily well for a padawan," he said.

Suddenly, there was a voice blaring through the base's intercom: "Luke Skywalker and Ray, please proceed to the command bridge immediately." Ray felt the lightsaber fly from her hands over to Luke's as they both hurried to the bridge. When they arrived, they were met by Finn, Chewbacca, and C3-P0.

"Ah, Master Luke! It is a delight to see you again," declared the droid.

"Good to see you too, three-peo," Luke acknowledged.

"Finn, where is Leia?" Ray asked.

"I don't know," he replied, "I was told she has bad news." A hallway door slid open, and Leia walked briskly up to the five.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is very urgent news." Leia pushed a button on a holoprojector, and a picture of a face appeared on it. "Poe Dameron, who I believe you were good friends with," Leia pointed a stylus at Finn, "has been unfortunately killed."

"What?! General, h-how was he killed?" Ray looked over at her friend, who was showing a mix of disbelief and sadness.

"A hour and 24mins ago, Dameron was on his way back from a scouting mission near Ashdeca VI where he had received intel that the First Order have located our base here on D'Qar, and that they are planning a bombing run for the entire system. They hope to eliminate our entire presence in the system. Luckily, Dameron had been able to transmit the intel to us before he was shot down by enemy fighters."

"Finn, I'm so sorry," Ray said, trying to give him a hug.

"When will the raid happen?" Finn broke free and walked over by the holoprojector.

"Poe's data suggests that we have less than 3 hours before the first wave." Leia now displayed an image of the entire D'Qar base. "Which means that we have to move everything and everyone before then."


	5. Chapter 5

"All pilots, please report to your ships. Cargo ships are being loaded at docking bays 4 and 7. The main priority is to have as many of our ships off the planet before the bombing run." Leia's voice could be heard on the intercom throughout the whole base. Almost everyone was busy loading crates and barrels filled with food, weapons, ammo, and building materials. Important documents were being downloaded into astromech droids.

Still on the command bridge, Luke and Leia were finishing gathering data from the base's computer. "Have you figured out where all of the ships are going to rendezvous at?" Luke asked his sister.

"No, and that's what worries me. We had two other bases on Kashyyyk and a moon near Taris, but both had to be evacuated because of the First Order," Leia was rapidly typing on a keyboard. "What about the planet with the first Jedi Temple? Only we have the coordinates."

Luke replied,"It won't work. Most of the planet is made up of a deep ocean, except for small scattered islands. Tell the pilots to head to the planet Tython."

* * *

As the Finalizer soared through hyperspace toward D'Qar, Kylo Ren walked up and knelt before his master. Darth Plagueis stood on the observation deck and looked out as millions of stars and planets zoomed by. He did not turn to look at his apprentice but said, "You have been doing well in your training." The Sith Lord had grey-colored skin, and was over 7ft tall. His big green eyes were unblinking. He wore a simple black robe.

"Thank y..."

"However," Darth Plagueis interrupted. "You still lack...determination. You train hard, but it is unclear whether are of your loyalty is pledged to me and...to the Dark Side." Kylo grew a little worried and confused.

He replied, "My Lord, I pledge my self to you. To do your bidding. As a servant of true power." Kylo's last remark angered his master. Plagueis now faced his pupil.

"You are a fool! You do not know the true power of the Dark Side. I can read your heart, and it tells me that the Jedi Order stills calls to you. To me, you are blind...blind to to what you truly hold your allegiance with."

"Then, master, what must I do to prove my dedication?"

"Call off this raid," Plagueis demanded. "Take your stormtroopers, and strike down your old master Luke Skywalker."

* * *

Back at the Resistance base, the evacuation was going very slowly. With each medical and transport ship that departed, two X-wings accompanied. The remaining ships stayed behind to hold off the bombers. Little did they know that there were no bombers coming. The buildings were abandoned, as everyone was outside on the docks. While Finn and Chewbacca readied the Millennium Falcon, Ray accompanied Luke and Leia, who were still organizing the fleeing ships.

"Well, all of the pilots have set course for Tython. But you still haven't told me what to expect there," Leia told her brother.

He replied, "Tython was the birthplace of the very first Jedi Temple. The Order had been formed there thousands of years ago." As the three continued walking, C3-P0 and R2-D2 came up to them.

"General, Master Luke, I have urgent news!" the golden protocol droid declared.

"What is is, Threepio?" asked Luke.

It replied, "R2 said that he detected, what appears to be, a resurgent-class star destroyer coming out of hyperspace near one of..." The sound of a dozen TIE fighters overhead drowned out the rest of the droid's sentence. The fighters were accompanied by five stormtrooper transport ships, which immediately started landing among the smouldering ruins of each X-wing that was blown up. Pilots that still had their ships tried to take off, but most were unsuccessful.

"We have to get to the Falcon!" Ray yelled over the ruckus.

"I need to stay and make sure everyone evacuated," Leia told her brother. "You two need to leave." The three of them flinched as a flaming piece of concrete fell from the side of the building a few yards from them.

"No, Leia, we're staying with you," Luke replied. Suddenly, another ship was descending from the clouds.

"That's Kylo Ren's ship," Ray said, almost in a gasp. She turned to the two droids who were still with them and told them to get to the Falcon. "Tell Chewy to move the ship somewhere safe." As the droids left, Ray saw the incoming shuttle land. Steam surrounded the ship, as several stormtroopers filed out and joined others, who were busy in scattered firefights. Upon seeing Kylo walk out, Luke started for a nearby hangar, leaving Ray and Leia in the open.

"Go after him," Leia said. "I'll be fine." Ray, hesitant at first, eventually ran after her master, who was hiding behind some crates. He told her to do the same, as Kylo Ren walked up to Leia.

"General Organa, what a nice surprise," he said. A few stormtroopers came up aside him and pointed their blasters at her, until Kylo motioned them to stop. "I was wondering if you could tell me where Luke Skywalker is? I've heard that he is no longer missing." All around them, stormtroopers and Resistance soldiers were fighting. Even in the air, X-wings were locked in dogfights with TIE fighters.

"Don't call me general, Ben. I am still your mother."

"And you are also his sister," Kylo said, igniting his red, cross guard lightsaber. Just as he was about to swing at Leia, he was hurled into a pile of rope. Luke had used the Force to protect Leia from Kylo's attack. Coming out from the hangar, Ray used Luke's blue lightsaber to attack the stormtroopers. Having learned how to block incoming laserbolts, she ploughed through the enemy with ease. Meanwhile, Luke walked over to Kylo Ren. "My old master...Impressed with how powerful I've become?" said the Sith.

Luke gave a small laugh and replied, "Considering how you're the one on the floor? I wonder which is worse: Snoke's training or his student's performance." Angered at this, Kylo stood up and faced his rival.

"Darth Plagueis's teachings have made me more powerful than you could ever have done."

"Your arrogance shall be your downfall," Luke said. He reached into his robe and pulled out a second lightsaber. Igniting the saber, it revealed a bright green blade.

"Oh, I'm not the one who's going to die" Kylo Ren raised his own ignited weapon. Charging at the Jedi, he swung the blade horizontally at the neck. Luke ducked and quickly stepped backwards. This time, a diagonal attack upwards came from the green blade. Kylo easily blocked and countered it with a thrust forward, which was also blocked. Stepping back a few feet, he tried to throw nearby crates at Luke, with the Force, but the Jedi master was prepared. Planting his feet, Luke sliced through two crates, dodged a third, and sent the last one into a stormtrooper. Kylo, then, leaped at him and delivered a strong kick to Luke's chest.

"Master!" Ray yelled, running to his aid. Using Luke's other lightsaber, she struck at the Sith's shoulder. Kylo, who was standing over Luke, stepped to the left to avoid the attack. As Luke got back on his feet, he rejoined the fight. Kylo now took on both Jedi at once. He blocked a slice from Ray and dodged a jab from Luke.

"Surrender Ben," Luke said. The fight had moved the Sith into a corner. He was surrounded on each side by either concrete or Jedi. Suddenly, there was an explosion that drew everyone's attention away from the battle. An X-wing had managed to blowup three of the transport ships and Kylo Ren's shuttle. He, however, took this opportunity to swing his lightsaber down on Ray's head. *SWOOSH* His lightsaber fell to pieces as Luke's green blade sliced through the hilt with ease. "It's over."


	6. Chapter 6

"Lord Plagueis, Kylo Ren has been captured by the Resistance," General Hux reported. He stood behind the Dark Lord on the bridge of the Finalizer. Darth Plagueis was examining a holoprojector at the back of the room. A planet displayed by a blue light which shot through the glass table. Hux knew the planet as Jed-Hai, where, over 30 years ago, the Galactic Empire mined certain crystals to power their first Death Star. It now was home to one of the First Order's weapons foundries.

"That is...unfortunate," Darth Plagueis replied, in a cold deep voice. "And what about the others?"

"Only a few TIE fighters were able to escape, my lord" Hux stated. Upon hearing this, Darth Plagueis angrily slammed the palm of his hand against the side of the holoprojector.

"With Skywalker to aid them, the Resistance will be a greater hinderance to us. We must act now."

"But, my lord, we do not know where they've fled," General Hux replied. "If we did, our stormtroopers would..."

"We will not use your stormtroopers!" Darth Plagueis interjected. "Clearly they aren't proving to be that effective." He pressed a button on the console, and a yellow marker appeared on the display. It highlighted a small building east of the foundry. "The Knights of Ren have been training at this outpost for the last few months. They will easily locate the Resistance's new hideout. Set a course for Jed-Hai."

"As you wish, my lord. I will also have your shuttle prepared." General Hux gave a small bow and turned away. Soon the coordinates for the planet were locked. There was a loud *BOOM* as the Finalizer suddenly shot into hyperspace.

* * *

The Finalizer's south elevator slowed to a stop in the medical bay. A black protocol droid stood motionless in a corner of the white room. It's video-receptors watched, unblinking, as Darth Plagueis stepped out.

"Welcome," greeted the droid. "I am T1-RT, assistant medical officer. How may I assist you?"

"Where is he?" the Dark Lord asked, quietly. The droid must have known exactly what he meant. It gestured to a nearby room, and Darth Plagueis walked over to it. The door slid open to reveal two medical droids operating on a badly wounded man. His left leg, and part of his right, had been blown off. Most of his face appeared badly burned. One of the droids was inserting a synthetic eyeball into the man's right socket. A synthetic arm was already attached to his left side.

"What's his status?" Darth Plagueis asked the second droid.

"Vitals are not fluctuating. The patient's nervous system appears to be accepting the wiring," it reported. "We will begin injecting the serum you requested. After that, the patient will be put into a forced stasis for rapid recovery."

"Good. Continue as planned." Darth Plagueis turned and exited the room, as another man exited the elevator terminal. His black uniform seemed to shimmer in the soft light. A small gold insignia was pinned to his jacket, identifying the man as a Staff Sergeant.

"Sir," he said,"your shuttle is ready. There have been reports of numerous sandstorms on the planet, so I advise that we leave immediately."

"Very well, Staff Sergeant." Darth Plagueis quietly followed him down to one of the hangars. There, several dozen stormtroopers and officers formed ranks near the shuttle. No one dared to move, as he walked past row after row of his First Order army. The shuttle itself was similar to that which had been used by the Empire. Modifications had been made to the wings and the engine, allowing for a greater speed and tighter turns. Steam poured out from the shuttle's main cabin. Darth Plagueis walked up the docking ramp and sat down in a chair. The ramp folded back up and sealed the cabin. There was a loud *VOOSH* as the shuttle slowly rose into the air. It's wings started lowering as the ship moved past the hangar's force field and into open space. Three TIE fighters flew out from other hangars and formed a protective barrier around the shuttle.

It took ten minutes before the ships broke through Jed-Hai's atmosphere. Small panels on each side of the shuttle slid back, revealing thick glass windows that looked out just behind the ship's wings. Sand blasted past the windows, making it hard to see anything. The planet was unlike other known desert planets. It was hot and sand covered most of the terrain, but there were scattered lakes which had trees and other vegetation growing around them. Because of these lakes, the climate was painfully humid. Cities were commonly located near these lakes, which supplied clean fresh water for the citizens.

As the shuttle past over the weapons foundry, the TIE fighter escort broke off, leaving Darth Plagueis's shuttle to continue the short remaining voyage to the First Order outpost. When it finally arrived, the shuttle landed on a sand-covered platform. The power from the engines managed to blow off all the sand, revealing a walkway to the building's main door. Two stormtroopers ran down the ramp. The sand attacked their armor, making a loud *DINT* each time it hit. Darth Plagueis, unfazed by the sand, came down after them, and they followed him to the door. The sandstorm had already started, and sand was blowing everywhere. The storm was so strong that the light of the planet's sun could barely get through, making it even harder to see.

"I can't see a thing in this mess," one of the troopers remarked to his friend, who nudge him to be quiet. The three came to a normal-sized durasteel door. Even in the darkness, they could see it had been covered with sand for a long time. Darth Plagueis pushed a button next to it, and the door slowly opened, spilling sand as it moved. Behind it was a dark narrow tunnel that seemed to on forever.

"Stay here," he ordered the troopers. "I must go in alone."

"Yes, sir," replied both of them. They watched as the Dark Lord calmly walked into the darkness. Except for what had blown in this time, there was no sand in the dark hallway. His black boots echoed loudly as he walked. Finally, he came to the central room of the building. From in here, the sandstorm sounded like a muffled rainfall. Darth Plagueis reached into his cloak and pulled out his lightsaber. Igniting its red beam, he could now faintly see the details of the room. A small round table sat in the far left corner. A single pillar rose through the middle of the room, and nailed to it were decorations only a Sith would enjoy. Wooden supports branched out from the central pillar in every direction. Although it seemed that no one was there, Darth Plagueis could, in that dark room, that he was being watched.

"Knights of Ren," he said in a loud voice, "reveal your selves!" Almost immediately, the door to the building shut with a *THUD*. The sound of light footsteps could be heard moving around the room. Darth Plagueis looked up to see someone climbing down from the wooden beams. When there was no more motion, suddenly the lights of the room turned on. Six armor-clad men knelt before their master. They were each wearing dark robes and had masks covering their faces.

"Master, what brings you to us?" A heavy voice sounded from one of the men.

"I have a mission for you."


	7. Chapter 7

"FN-2187." Kylo Ren watched as the former stormtrooper walked into the interrogation room. He was sitting in a white chair with his arms pinned behind his back by plasma resistors. The white walls of the room were littered with windows, but there was nothing on the table in front of him.

"The name's Finn, Ren," he replied. Finn sat down across from the Sith. They were on a capital ship in orbit around D'Qar. They were to wait a day before joining everyone else at Tython. Leia had authorized Finn to interrogate Kylo for any information he could get. Outside of the room, Luke and Ray watched in case Kylo tried to escape. Looking at his face, Finn added,"Nice scar."

"It's a shame, Finn...what happened to your friend," Kylo said, ignoring the previous remark. "I guess even the best pilot in the Resistance can be brought down by the might of the First Order." He wasn't looking at his interrogator, but instead stared at the floor in front of him. Finn's hands clenched into a fist. He was ready to punch him, but Finn remembered that he had an audience behind the blaster-proof glass. Relaxing his hands, he smiled.

"Yeah? I bet the First Order isn't so mighty anymore, now that we captured Snoke's pet. I think..."

"Aren't you supposed to be interrogating me?" Kylo asked, sarcastically. With that, Finn stood up and walked out of the door.

"There wasn't anything he could give us," he said as he passed the two onlookers.

* * *

Meanwhile, Leia was on the ship's bridge, talking to an officer. "...And I want each ship to be scanned," she ordered. "Make sure they won't be able to track us like before."

"Yes, General," the officer replied. Another man walked up to Leia.

"General," he said. "You're requested at Hangar 4."

"Let them know I'm on my way," Leia told him. At the hangar, she encountered a crowd of pilots, technicians, and medical staff. All who were standing around a slightly damaged X-Wing. As she drew closer, Leia could see an orange BB unit and a pilot standing next to the ship.

"Heck, Poe, you must be invincible," she heard another pilot say.

"Poe Dameron?" Leia asked as she walked up to the pilot and his droid.

"Yes ma'am," he replied. Surprisingly, he didn't look wounded at all. Neither he nor his suit showed any sign of wear and tear. Only his ship gave proof that he had been in battle.

"Our reports said that your ship had been destroyed."

"Well, General, when I was doing reconnaissance near Ashdeca IV, I was attacked by TIE fighters. After serious damage, I hid in a nearby asteroid field with everything except the life support system turned off. That's probably why my X-Wing appeared offline." The thought-to-be-dead pilot seemed a little fake to Leia. Although she didn't correct him, she did remember that he was near Ashdeca VI not IV. Also, he mentioned taking serious damage, yet his ship looked hardly scratched.

"I see. In any case, I'm happy your back," she said, deciding not to be suspicious of anything.

* * *

That night, Kylo Ren lay in a small laser-sealed durasteel cell. There were three guards posted on him, but they had fallen asleep. He still was watched by a swivel turret and bound with resistors. Just before falling asleep himself, he heard buttons being pressed. Turning to the door to his cell, he saw, in the dimly lit hallway, a silhouette unlocking the door.

"What do you want now?" Kylo asked exhaustedly.

"Shhh," the shadow raised its figure. "I'm trying to help you escape. Now be quiet." It was a man's voice. A few more buttons were pushed and a key was inserted, and then the lasers blocking the entrance turned off in a low *VRRR*. Kylo got to his feet and slowly walked out of the cell. Looking around, he noticed the guards. "Knocked them out with this," the unknown man said, holding up a stun rod. "They'll be out for another hour. Now let me get those things off your arms." The man took out a small device and held it against the resistors, which immediately fell off. "There are escape pods one level down. Follow me." Without waiting for a reply, the man started quietly walking around a corner and down some stairs. Kylo followed close behind. Finally, they came to a set of four escape pods. The lighting was better here, and Kylo managed to see his rescuer's face. After seeing it, he quickly shoved the man against a wall and held him up by his throat.

"I remember you," Kylo said in a low voice. "You're that Resistance pilot that I caught on Jakku. The one that was supposedly dead. What was the name...Poe...Dameron?"

"Not anymore. Su...Supreme Leader sent me...ack...to rescue you," Poe strained against the fingers closing around his windpipe. "I'm your...only c-chance to escape."

"And why should I believe you?" Kylo asked. Poe was turning purple at the lack of oxygen.

"Be...cause...without me you'll never...get off...this ship," Poe strained. Kylo stared at him for a few more second, what like years to Poe, before dropping him. Gasping for air, Poe struggled to stand up. Eventually, he made his way to a control console. Typing in passwords and coordinates, he was able to open one pod. The sound of the metal door rising, mixed with the sound of steam, droned out the quiet sound of footsteps drawing closer to the two.

"Poe? Is that you?" Poe and Kylo both turned to see Finn walking slowly toward them before stopping abruptly.

"Finn. Buddy," Poe presented a fake smile as he faced his friend.

"I heard the news that you managed to esc...Poe, who's that with you?" Upon seeing Kylo's face and the escape pod he was climbing into, Finn pulled out a sidearm and started firing at the pod.

"Go!" Poe yelled to Kylo. Immediately, the pod's door began to close. Finn turned his weapon to Poe, who raised his hands above his head.

"Poe, what the heck did you just do!?" There was an alarm the blared as the escape pod shot from the ship. An airlock shut behind it to keep the room pressurized. After that, there was no sound. Both Poe and Finn remained where they were, Finn with his sidearm out and Poe with his hands raised. Suddenly, Poe gave a loud yell and charged at his opponent. Finn was caught off guard as he was sent plummeting to the floor. His blaster fell out of his hand and slid out of reach. Poe started punching like crazy. Blow after blow was sent to Finn's face.

"Aargh!" Finn yelled as he raised his own arms in defense. Having been trained in close combat fighting, he knew how to get out of this situation. Shoving a knee into Poe's stomach, he was able to pry apart his hands and deliver some hits to Poe's face. Finally, he was able to shove his assailant off of him. Scrambling to his feet, Finn quickly grabbed his fallen weapon. Not wanting to kill his friend, he slammed the butt of the weapon against the back of Poe's head, knocking him out.


	8. Chapter 8

Tython. The original planet of the Jedi. Unlike other core worlds, there were no civilizations there until a group of traders, known as the Métc-ru discovered minerals in the vast mountain ranges. For many years after, mining colonies were formed over much of the planet's surface. Until they were destroyed during the Great Galactic War, which lasted for 28 dreadful years. The Jedi were held responsible for the Sith's success in the war, and after being removed from Coruscant, they established a home on Tython. There, the first Jedi Order was created. They sought the wisdom and guidance of the Force in order to maintain peace within the Republic.

"...But that was thousands of years ago," Luke explained to Ray. They were on their way down to the hangar where the Millennium Falcon was stationed. Chewbacca was already there, getting it prepped for departure. The capital ship, they were on, had finally come out of hyperspace above Tython. There were freighters, medical ships, and capital ships already surrounding the planet. These Resistance ships had arrived earlier, and many transport ships had already landed.

"Finn, come on," Ray almost yelled her friend, who appeared from a separate door. "We're going to the surface."

"Alright, coming," he told her. Finn was carrying a small tablet, which he placed on a nearby crate.

"What was that?" Ray asked.

Finn to the crate with the tablet resting on it. "That? Results on Poe's medical eval."

"Do they know what caused him to act like that?" She placed a hand on Finn's shoulder.

"Yeah, the medical droids said that his synthetics, which obviously were attached by the First Order, injected a drug into his nervous system that made him open to suggestion," he replied. "Leia and some of the council members believe that the First Order used this drug to control Poe and make him free Ren." Ray was surprised by the news.

"Did you know about this drug?"

Finn sighed, "I did hear that General Hux had a drug like this made, but back then I didn't really pay attention to it." Chewbacca gave a growl from the landing platform of the Falcon, telling them to hurry up.

"Yes, Chewy, we're coming," Ray told the wookie. Chewbacca and Ray took the cockpit, Finn climbed down into the gunner position, which wasn't needed for this flight, and Luke sat in the main quarters. Ray and Chewy pressed a few buttons, turned a switch, and in a few minutes the Millennium Falcon left the hangar. The descent to the planet was quicker then expected, and soon, Ray and Chewbacca could see the lush green forests that grew over most of Tython's land. The Falcon landed on a platform almost completely enclosed by trees. It had a small walkway which led to the main courtyard of the Tython Jedi Temple. The group walked down the walkway and found more familiar friendly faces. Resistance pilots landed their ships basically wherever they could, and officials were using the temple as a base of operations. Earlier, Luke had asked Leia to make sure no one destroyed any part of the temple or its grounds, so everyone had to deal with the space they had. To the left of the temple, there stood a 30ft statue of an ancient Jedi.

"That is Grand Master Satele Shan," Luke stated, noticing Ray and Finn admiring the statue. "She was one of the first Masters of the Jedi Order. She helped build both the temple here and the replica on Coruscant."

"The stuff you told me earlier about Tython," Ray turned to Luke,"and this...how did you discover this information?" Luke didn't answer at first. Instead, he walked to the edge of the platform, which stood 3ft above the forest floor. Away in the distance, a single mountain rose high, almost blocking half the sun.

"Han Solo...he told you that I was looking for the first Jedi temple?" Luke finally spoke.

"Yes, but you said that Tython was home to the first temple."

"The truth is," Luke explained,"...Ahch-To was where the Jedi first came in contact with the Force. Before I went there, I had traveled to Coruscant. There, I explored the ruins of the Jedi Temple. I found the remains of the countless Jedi my...Darth Vader killed during Order 66. I also found the old Jedi Archives. I studied countless star charts and systems, and that's how I learned about Tython and Ahch-To."

"But I don't get it," Ray said. "You went to all of these places. There must be something you were looking for?"

"There was. And I think I found it. The key to defeating the Sith forever."


	9. Chapter 9

The outer edge of the display panel flashed a bright green, as Kylo Ren placed the holoprojector on a recess in the stone wall. He pressed a button, and a blue image of his master flickered into view.

"You bring news, I trust," Darth Plagueis inquired. He was sitting in his shuttle, returning to the Finalizer. The last few days, he had been with the Knights on Jed-Hai, teaching and training them.

"My lord, the Resistance have fled to a place they call 'the original planet of the Jedi' " Kylo replied. At this, Plagueis's eyes became wide with interest.

"So, Skywalker has led them to Tython," he said, lightly rubbing his hand against his chin.

"You know of this place?"

"Yes," Plagueis answered. "Thousands of years ago, the first Jedi masters sought the wisdom of the Force. So, they built a temple, the first Jedi temple, as a place to surround one's self in harmony and light. If Skywalker has brought this...girl there, then it will only be a matter of time before she realizes her true strength in the Force and...her identity." Each breath the Sith Lord made echoed loudly throughout the room Kylo Ren was in. His escape pod had crashed back on D'Qar, and he was in one of the meeting rooms in the Resistance base. "I am sending the Knights to bring her to me. A task you failed to do."

"Master, I should go with them. The Knights of Ren need their leader," Kylo said.

"And how would their leader fight? He has no weapon to use," Plagueis replied, sternly. "I freed you from your cell. Now, it is up to you to return to me." And with that, the holoprojector's display turned off.

* * *

The med-bay door slid open as Ray and Finn walk in. BB-8 rolled eagerly after them, beeping and whistling. They had been told by C3-P0 that "the General" wanted them to come to a medical ship above Tython. Chewy flew them up in the Falcon, and they headed for the Patient Recovery section. They came to stand next to Luke and Leia, who were both looking through a one-way mirror into a small white room. Inside, Poe Dameron was struggling against the straps that held him to his bed. His face was pale and dripping sweat.

"He's getting worse," Finn quietly said to Ray.

"Are there no medicines they can give him?" Even though she hardly knew him, Ray was still worried for Poe.

"It's not a matter of physical medicine to heal a brainwashed person," Luke told Ray. "Poe believes that he serves the First Order; that he serves Snoke."

"Can't you do something?" Leia asked her brother. She got her answer when Luke walked silently into the room. The door to the room slid shut behind him, and Poe turned to face the Jedi.

"Who are you?" Luke asked him.

"I'm...I'm Poe Dameron," he answered, painfully.

"And who do you serve?"

"I...serve the..the First Order." Poe's body twitched, and he groaned in pain. Ray, watching from outside, started tearing up.

"Finn, what's happening?" she asked. "It's almost like he's dying." She remembered, years ago, when many of her friends died from Polcrest, a disease that caused it's victims to have serious convulsions until they died. For four years, it was a major epidemic that killed nearly 1,000 people on Jakku.

"Whatever drug they used to brainwash him with, I wonder if the effects cause the user to die after a certain length of time," Finn replied. After that, everyone in the room went quiet. Even BB-8 refused to make a single beep. The only sounds to be heard were that of the tiny droid's engine, vibrating softly, and the sound of muffled groaning.

"What is your mission?" Luke continued. Poe was trying hard not to faint, as sweat poured down his flushed face.

"To fr...free Kylo...Ren from the Resistance," came the response. Leia thought she could hear soft wheezing coming from the white room.

"And now that you've completed your mission, what does Supreme Leader want you to do?"

"D...die." Suddenly, the Resistance pilot gasped loudly for air, but couldn't get any. The heart rate monitor attached to him beeped loudly, and he twitched slightly before slumping forward. Seeing this happen, Leia quickly pressed a button on the wall behind her. In moments, a Sullastonian doctor, along with a medical droid, hurried into the room. They made the table horizontal, and laid Poe's body down on it. Luke moved to the side as the droid pulled out a defibrillator connected to its chest.

"No pulse. Set charge to 400 volts," ordered the doctor. The droid obeyed, and the doctor quickly placed the defibrillator over Poe's chest. "Charging...and clear!" Poe's dead body made a sudden jolt upwards, but there was no luck in jumpstarting his heart. "Set charge to 700 volts." There was still no pulse.

"We're losing him, sir," the droid reported, expressionlessly.

"Set charge to 1,000 volts!" With each failed attempt, Ray stifled a cry, and Finn tried to comfort her. However, he too was trying to not show his emotion. Two times he had almost lost his friend to the First Order, and now, Poe's going to die believing he's a stormtrooper. Finn looked over at Leia and was surprised to see her hardly showing emotion. This was her best soldier's life at stake, and she treated it as if it were nothing.

"The patient is beyond revival," the medical droid said. Ray turned around to see Luke leave the observation hall. His brown robe disappeared behind the door, as the droid walked over to Leia and said,"We've lost him, General."

* * *

"Kain, we're decloaking," said one of the Knights. They were in a Y-class Mandalorian stealth ship. These ships were introduced around the beginning of the Clone Wars. Their cloaking improvements allowed them to appear invisible to the naked eye and to not be seen on almost any scanner. With three rotating wings, pulse beams, and thick armor, they were also agile and tough.

"Are we within the planet's atmosphere?" Kain asked. He and the other Knight were in the cockpit of the ship. Hours earlier, Darth Plagueis had told them about the Resistance being on Tython, and now the six Knights of Ren were arriving at their destination.

"Yes we are."

"Good," Kain replied. "As long as we stay close to the surface, the reflection panels will cover us." He stood up and walked down the narrow tube that made up most of the ship's interior. He came to the rear of the ship and found the other four Knights gathered around the docking ramp. They each wore the same dark cloak and body armor. The height difference between them was also so small, that it would be nearly impossible to tell who was who by just looking at them. Luckily, the helmets that they wore had built-in technology that enabled them to recognize each other. However, like the stormtroopers, the Knights were taught that they weren't individuals, with the exception of Kylo Ren, but rather a whole group that served Darth Plagueis as one. "Sir, what are your orders for when we land?" Immediately, Kain turned toward the speaker, a female Dathomirian by the name of Nejai.

"Master Plagueis said the central temple was near Tython's northern mountain range," he answered. "I have a feeling that the Resistance would most likely be there, plus it's the closest structure to our position, so we're heading there first." As soon as he finished, the ship suddenly slowed down and shook. "Look's like we've landed." The co-pilot joined them as Kain pressed the button to lower the ramp. He was almost sent backwards by a powerful wind that blew into the ship.

"Watch yourself coming out!" yelled one of the other Knights. He was looking a few feet past the edge of the ramp at a sheer drop. Kain took the lead exiting the ship. In front of him lay a vast sea of thick, white clouds.

"We're high up in the mountains!" he yelled behind him. He quickly stepped to the side of the ramp onto secure ground, and one by one, the other Knights followed. They were standing on a snow-covered plateau. All around them, wind was blowing, snow was falling, and rocks fell hundreds of feet to the ground below.

"Ok," Nejai said. "Now, how do we get down?"


	10. Finale Part 1

" _That_ _lightsaber_ _was_ _Luke's_. _And_ his _father's_ _before him_. _And_ _now_ , _it_ _calls to you."_

Ray gasped as she opened her eyes. Sitting up, she felt something shift under her hands. "Oh, it's just the hay," she whispered to herself. It was nighttime Tython, and no one else was awake in the storage room that she, and several other Resistance members, were sleeping in. However, she could faintly hear the sound of people talking outside. Carefully, she climbed down from the wooden loft she was on, stopping each time it squeaked. Stepping over the various arms and legs of the other sleepers, she made her way outside. There was no wind, but it was still a bit cold. Luckily, Ray had her brown jacket that had kept her warm in the cold nights on Jakku. She wore it now as she walked silently, under the dim light of Tython's grey moon, over to a small campfire. As she came closer, she noticed Luke talking with Finn and another man.

"Well, the Imperial Army did include, at first, several hundred of the remaining clones, but later..." The unknown man stopped abruptly and turned to the newcomer.

"Hello, Ray. Glad you could join us. There's someone I'd like you to meet," Luke said, gesturing to the stranger. "This is Lan..."

"Lando Calrissian," the man said, smiling and standing up from the log he sat on. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance." Lando looked to be roughly in his 60s. He had thin, dark grey, hair, which stood out from the light blue cloak that he wore. Ray smiled back and sat down beside Finn.

"We were talking about the history of the Empire," he told her.

"And how the First Order is using the same tactics as they did" Lando said. Ray turned to Luke.

"I always thought that the First Order was created by Imperial officials who fled from the Republic," she said.

"Well, yes," Luke replied. "However, some of the lesser known principles of the First Order came mostly from political debates with the New Republic."

"But the way that Snoke has them operating now is very similar to when the Emperor ruled," Lando continued. "The systems that they take over are immediately being used for obtaining stormtroopers and resources. And if the Senate doesn't do something soon, who's going to stop them from attacking whatever planet is next for being capital."

"Coriallis," Finn replied. "Anyways, I was already told that Leia is holding meeting after the ceremony tomorrow. My guess is that they're planning another attack on the First Order." There was a long silence. They had almost forgotten about the special ceremony being held in the main temple for Poe Dameron and Han Solo. After Finn said that, everyone just sat there and listened to the soft crackling of the dying fire. This went on for a few minutes, until Lando stood up.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna get some sleep. Want to presentable for tomorrow," he said, with a fake yawn. The other three also decided to head back. After saying goodnight to Finn, Ray started for the storage room, but she was quickly stopped by Luke.

"Ray," he said, "Tomorrow, after your friend's ceremony, I want to show you the Sanctuary of the Jedi. I've already spoken with Leia, and she won't be needing us at the meeting."

"Alright," she replied, calmly. Inside, however, she was excited. Luke had told her once before about that place and how it was "the perfect place for meditation." Perhaps she would learn more about the Force and the Jedi there. Ray returned to the storage building and crept back into her bed, eager for the next day.

* * *

That night, Ray had a nightmare. She was alone in a pitch black room. It was so dark that she couldn't see her hands. Suddenly, a loud *HUM* filled the room as, one by one, six red lightsabers ignited, forming a circle around Ray. The red light of the sabers outlined their dark-hooded wielders. The circle slowly shrunk, as each figure stepped closer to Ray. She tried to yell for help, but the words became stuck in her throat. She was trapped. Falling to her knees, Ray closed her eyes and waited for the oncoming death. But it never came. After waiting, what felt like years, she opened her eyes to find the shadowy figures towering over her. Surprisingly, they were looking away from the cowering Jedi and, instead, faced a man standing on a ledge above them. He, too, held a lightsaber, but, unlike the others, its blade was a light blue.

"Ray!" he yelled to her. "Ray, you must get away from here!" His voice was deep and full of power yet, his words came to her with love. Ray's eyes strained in the darkness as she tried to recognize the face silhouetted by the blue beam. He had a cleanly trimmed beard and was wearing brown robes. The dark figures left their places and rushed the man.

Before she had a chance to think, Ray yelled the one word that came to her mind, "Father!"

* * *

The icy wind tore at the backs of the Knights of Ren as they stumbled on in the night. Night-vision panels in their helmets guided them through the deep snow. It had been nearly eight hours since leaving the ship, and they were exhausted.

"How much farther?" Nejai asked. "For all we know, they won't even be there." Rowin, the youngest of the Knights, pulled out a pair of macrobinoculars and took off his helmet, revealing several scars on his pale face. "Rowin, what are you..."

"Shhh," he interjected, raising the lens to his eyes. "I can see several structures down in that valley." He pointed past the edge of a snow-covered cliff. "Lights, ships...yeah, I think we found them, Kain." The elder Knight walked to the cliff's edge.

"This way," he ordered. Then suddenly, Kain jumped over the side into the darkness. He fell twenty feet before landing on a ledge in a knee-high patch of snow. The others jumped soon after, but only to find their leader continuing his journey down the mountain. From ledge to ledge, he leapt, until Kain was near the foot of the mountain. He could see grass and a few trees, indicating that he'd reached a warmer climate, though it was still a bit cold. Five minutes later, the rest of the Knights of Ren reached the base. To their surprise, they were only a short distance from the Resistance camp. Nejai suggested that they should attack now while everyone slept.

"We will have the surprise advantage," she added.

"Then we might as well go in blindfolded," Kain replied. "To attack someone without first knowing their location is unwise. If the Resistance have any turrets set up, or if they have any unknown hideouts, we would be caught off guard and destroyed. Remember what happened to Kylo? He attacked a base he knew nothing about, and it got him captured." The Knights became silent, as the sound of people talking could be heard in front of them. No one dared to make a noise until it was clear that whoever was there had gone. "Nejai, you and I will map the entire area; know every building, inside and out. Rowin, I want you to find out if they have any sort of grid turret system and then shut it down. Lastly, Shen, you and the others are to quietly sabotage their ships and their communications array. Make sure they have no way to escape. Soon, we will be able to end the Resistance for good."

* * *

"Today, we say goodbye to two brave men." Leia spoke to the gathered Resistance members. She stood on the limestone steps of the temple. Her white uniform shimmered in the noon light of Tython's sun. Before her stood Ray, Finn, Lando Calrissian, R2-D2, C3-P0, and a large number of pilots, soldiers, and officers.

"Commander Poe Dameron...and Han Solo. Though it didn't seem like it, they had much in common. Both of them died to save something they believed in. Poe Dameron sacrificed his life to save the Resistance. Unfortunately, death came to him later, in a way he didn't deserve. Without his message to us about the attack on D'Qar, we would've been wiped out and our alliance broken...Han Solo died trying to save his son. He sacrificed himself, hoping that his son would come back to the Light." Leia paused a moment and looked over Ray, who was trying to hold back tears. "Sadly," she continued, "He was wrong."

After Leia's eulogy, Poe's body, dressed in his formal uniform, was laid onto a wooden pyre. Finn was chosen to ignite it. Taking a lit torch, he held it against the coals that surrounded the bottom of the wood pile. Immediately, the coal and wood caught fire, and Finn stepped back to watch his friend burn up. There was a moment of silence for the fallen hero, but soon, the crowd diminished. Several officers headed to the Temple where Leia was going to have a meeting. She, however, stayed a little longer to watch the fire.

"General Organa." Leia turned around to see two guards walk towards her.

"Yes?"

"Motion sensors in the northwest quadrant picked up two people exiting the base," one guard replied. Leia told them that it was only Luke and Ray leaving for an ancient Jedi building, and then, she followed the guards to the Temple to begin her meeting.

* * *

Meanwhile, Luke and Ray continued through the forest landscape of Tython. A little ways past the base, they came to a narrow dirt path. On both sides of it, hidden among the trees and bushes, Ray could see multiple stone statues. One had two head tails, and another only stood about 3 feet tall. The only similarity between the statues was that they wielded stones lightsabers.

"Master," Ray said, "who are they?"

"They were the first Jedi Sentinels," he replied. "Charged with the protection of the old Republic."

"What did they protect against?"

"Oh, there were bounty hunters, the Hutts, Mandalorian mercenaries, pirates," Luke explained.

"Sith?" By this time, they had passed the statues and were continuing along the path.

"No. But there was the Dark Side."

"What do you mean?" Ray asked, as they started climbing a flight of stone steps built into the side of a grassy hill.

"Well, the Sith were once Jedi that had been corrupted by the Dark Side. It's influence made them believe that, if they had more power, they could protect more people, fight better, and even keep their friends and family from dying. This lust for power caused some Jedi to, eventually, leave the Order and become Sith, the servants of the Dark Side. That's why the Jedi always began training as infants, so that they could learn to repel these temptations."

As they came to the top of the hill, Ray noticed four silver spire standing tall above the nearby forest. Each one was missing chunks of its structure and had vines growing up the sides; evidence of the wear and tear that came from no maintenance for a thousand years. The towers were arranged into a square, and there was an empty area in the middle.

"We've reached the Sanctuary," Luke said, quietly. He placed his non-metallic hand against the closest tower and closed his eyes. For two minutes, nothing happened, and then suddenly, the ground began shaking. Ray found herself amazed as the column, Luke leaned against, began rotating. As it turned, it rose slowly upward until a small hole could be seen. Luke let go of the tower, and it stopped turning. The opening that appeared was only 4ft tall, and inside it was a ladder that led down into the ground.

"How'd you do that?" Ray asked.

"When it comes to the Force," Luke replied, "size doesn't matter. Now, follow me." He stooped down through the hole and lowered himself onto in the dusty, cobweb-filled, metal ladder. Ray crept in after him and began descending. The walls were smoothed stone, and, through the dim light that shone in, drawings could be seen etched into them. Soon, Luke and Ray were in complete darkness. After 5 minutes of climbing blindly, Ray started wondering if they were ever going to reach the bottom. "Not much farther," Luke said, obviously knowing what she was thinking. Luckily, he was right. Soon, they were both standing on the dirt floor at the bottom of the ladder.

* * *

"Lando's data is accurate with our field reports," Leia announced. She inserted a memory drive into the holoprojector in front of her, and the image of a floating city was displayed to the various officers, commanders, and generals at the meeting. "The First Order has a presence on Bespin. As far as we know, they have been illegally mining gases at the center of the cloud and attacking nearby colonies."

"What is the First Order doing at a place like that?" asked a lieutenant.

"Tibanna," Lando answered, walking up to the group. "It's a highly coveted, explosive, gas used in many large ships as a source of fuel. One of the reasons Bespin's economy is flourishing is because we have one of the few natural sources of Tibanna in the system."

"Let me guess. You don't want your precious business suffering a little because of this," a pilot mocked.

"We've dealt with pirates before," Lando continued, ignoring the previous remark. "But the First Order is stealing a resource that was normally given to the Resistance. They are limiting your supply, which could change the tide of the war. If you are going to attack, now would be the time."

"Here," Leia rotated the display. "It's a refinery station, just above the the center of Bespin." Lando studied the image and then shook his head.

"That's not one of ours. We don't mine that deep."

"Well, if this is where they're operating from, we could send in a boarding party to take it over," Leia suggested. Outside, the sun began to set over Tython, and hidden in the trees, six figures, clad in armor, patiently waited for the night.

* * *

It had been over an hour since the two Jedi had climbed down into the darkness. At first, it didn't bother Ray that she was so far underground, but now, walking through a seemingly endless maze of dark tunnels with only Luke's lightsaber to guide her, she yearned to be back outside. Luke wasn't much help in this matter. He stayed a few yards ahead and hardly said anything except for the occasional "this way" or "keep up". Finally, Ray decided to break the silence by bringing up the only thing on her mind.

"Last night, I had this unusual dream," she told Luke, who hummed in acknowledgment. "I was alone in a dark room, and then, six men in cloaks appeared. Each was holding a red-bladed lightsaber. They started walking towards me, and I tried to yell for help. But no sound came out. Suddenly, this...man holding a blue lightsaber appears and starts calling for me to run. The other men start running at him, and out of nowhere, I yell 'Father!' "

Ray waited for Luke to respond to her story but heard no response. "Master?" There was no answer. "Hello? Luke!?" Still no response. Looking around, she desperately searched for any sign of the elder Jedi but found nothing. To make things worse, the tunnel in front of her split into two paths, one going right and the other left. Shining the blue light lightsaber down each path, Ray saw only stone walls and dirt floor. "Which way?" she thought. Either way could lead her to Luke, or it could make her even more lost. She didn't remember the directions they took, so going back wasn't an option. "I can't just wait here." Having made up her mind, Ray took a deep breath and turned down the left passage.


	11. Finale Part 2

Tiny drops of water leaked from the stone ceiling of the passage in such a constant motion, that the dirt floor became a large muddy puddle. Luke's boots made a *SQUELCH* every time he raised them to step forward. The path itself became narrower, as the walls crept closer together. Soon, Luke's shoulders became wet with the dew that covered the stone walls. His bionic hand, which hung by his side, was locked tightly around his lightsaber. Its green blade shined brightly in the darkness. The energy emitted from it caused the water on the ground to steam.

It'd been only ten minutes since Luke abandoned Rey in the maze, and he still thought he could faintly hear her calling for him. While she was describing her dream, he had quietly slipped away, hoping to avoid answering the questions he knew were in her head: Was the man in her dream really her father? Did Luke know her father? Anyway, that was no longer his main concern. Just a few yards ahead, Luke could see, what appeared to be, a dead end. _"This isn't right,_ " he thought. _"The map in the temple said that it was down this tunnel."_ Fortunately, the wall didn't block his path, because, as he got closer, the green glow of Luke's lightsaber revealed, on his left, a staircase leading downward. Without hesitation, he went down the stairs, further into the dark.

* * *

"General, General," C3-P0 shuffled into the command center.

"What is it, Threepio?" Leia asked, turning to face the gold droid.

"Well, it's been over five hours, but there have been no signs of Master Luke or Rey."

"They're not back yet?"

"I'm afraid not," the droid replied. R2-D2, wheeling over from the entrance, gave several chirps and beeps of disappointment. "Artoo said he hasn't been able to detect signs of either of them. I fear they may be in danger." Leia stood there for a few moments, pondering what to do. C3-P0 was a statue; waiting for her to speak or a sign of human emotion. Suddenly, there was a massive shake, as the *BOOM* of a loud explosion filled the air. Leia fell against a console, and the vibrations caused C3-P0 to tumble into R2. Cracks spread throughout the walls, causing dust and pieces to fall from the ceiling.

"What the hell was that!" Finn yelled, running into the temple.

"General, someone sabotaged the central fuel reactors in the transports," reported a dock commander.

"Multiple signatures just outside the eastern gate," shouted a man at a nearby console. "It appears they're trying to bypass the defense grid."

"It must be the First Order," Leia said. "But how did they find us?" A loud siren blared through the crumbling building. Resistance soldiers rushed by Finn, Leia, and the droids. They each carried standard B-280 blaster rifles. One of the soldiers stopped halfway out the door. Finn recognized him as Shi Lamar, a lieutenant who helped in Finn's rehabilitation and training.

"Finn, we could use your help," he said, holding out a second blaster.

"Yes, sir." With one last glance at Leia, he stepped forward and took the weapon.

"Glad to see you back on your feet," Shi said, giving a small laugh. "Alright," he shouted to the rest of the gathered troops, "let's move out!"

* * *

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Luke came to a narrow corridor. On his left, in the middle of the stone wall, was a shallow recess that spanned the entire length of the hallway. In it was a row of partially melted candles, all of which had collected heaps of dust from centuries of no use. Opposite the candles were several small rooms. Luke walked into the first one and, under the green light of his saber, found empty crates and scraps of paper. _"These must have been used for storage,"_ he thought. Looking into two of the other rooms, there were more crates, boxes, and papers. In one box, Luke discovered a small toy doll made out of fabric. He was amazed, at first, that it had survived for almost a thousand years without getting worn out. Just then, the candles in the hallway became lit. The storage room Luke was in became illuminated with an orange-yellowish glow. He was now able to clearly see the doll. It was wearing a black robe and had dark, curly, hair.

"Ben," he said, noticing a resemblance between the toy and his former student. It wasn't until the candles' light went out again that the Jedi realized something was happening.

" _Do you still mourn what happened to your apprentice?"_ came a low, deep voice. Luke went back into the hallway, which had become much colder. He saw no one, but it was clear that someone strong in the Force was watching him. _"You blame yourself for his betrayal, don't you?"_

"I blame myself for letting you bring him down the path of corruption, Snoke," Luke replied, talking to the voice.

" _Corruption? I helped him realize his true potential,"_ Snoke said. _"Because of me, he became powerful in the Force. Because of me, the weak Ben Solo died, and the strong Kylo Ren was born."_

"You're using him for his power. To you all he is, all he's ever been, is a puppet."

 _"Are you not the same way with that girl? She is loyal to you, but you still refuse to tell her about her parents, about their fate."_ Snoke was right, and Luke knew it. For months, he's been teaching Rey to abandon fear and let go of the past, yet, all he's ever done is hide from it.

 _"Ah, I can sense your fear and your anger. It is what drives your desire for the power to defeat me. But this power can only be achieved through the Dark Side."_

"No...no, you're wrong," Luke finally said. "The Dark Side will never be stronger than the Light." Snoke gave a low laugh.

 _"I disagree,"_ he replied. _"Even now, my servants attack your friends'. They will destroy everyone and everything that you care for. Soon, Skywalker, you will know the true might of the Dark Side."_ The hallway was quiet once more, all except for the sound of the lightsaber, and Luke realized the danger the Resistance were in. He quickly ascended the flight of stairs, hoping to find his Padawan and get out of there before it's too late.

* * *

"Luke? Are you in here?" echoed Rey's voice. She had turned off the lightsaber, hoping to hear the sound of her master's footsteps. However, the absolute darkness was getting to her; heightening the fear that she will never find Luke and never get out of the pitch black void she was lost in. *BIZZZ* the lightsaber glowed back to life. Raising it over her head, Rey discovered that she was in a massive chamber, or at least, a chamber big enough that the light didn't reach the sides. All that Rey saw were wide stone columns, reaching up an unknown distance to the ceiling, and, what seemed to be, a small tongue of fire hovering just barely above the ground several feet away. Lacking a breeze, the flame flickered only a little. Intrigued, Rey approached the flame.

"What are you?" she said softly, talking to the fire. She had noticed that, for being close enough that she should feel heat, she felt nothing radiating from it. It was also strange that the flame was just...there. Rey saw nothing being burned up. No source, no movement, no heat, yet there it was: a single flame. Then, Rey noticed that, on the ground beneath it, there was, what looked like, a lightsaber. It had a grey metallic shell, which reflected the yellowish light of the fire. It wasn't her lightsaber; that one was still in her right hand. No, this one was different. It had an orange curved piece near the top, a small dial under the Energy Emitter, and brown leather bands wrapped around it. _"Probably for better grip,"_ Rey thought. Kneeling down, she picked up the lightsaber. She wasn't surprised when in wasn't hot from being under the fire. However, she did notice that it was much lighter than Luke's old one. The ignition was a small black button next to the EE dial. It had a concave center, which made it easier for Rey to find it with her thumb. Turning off her other saber, she pressed the button, and a bright blue beam shot out. The energy was constant and could be seen flowing throughout the blade. Rey gave the lightsaber a few swings and was amazed at how steady the it was.

"It was your father's." Startled, Rey turned around to see Luke walking towards her in the semi-darkness. He was pointing to the saber she found.

"Luke, where have you been? We got separated in the tunnels."

"I found, what I think was, a storage area," he replied, deciding not to give any details about his conversation with Snoke. "Anyways, it's about time we leave." Luke started for the exit, expecting Rey to follow.

"Wait," she said, grabbing his sleeve, "you said that this lightsaber belonged to my father. How did you know that?"

"Because," Luke sighed, "because I trained him to be a Jedi. Your father, Jacen, made this lightsaber a year after you were born."

"He was a Jedi?"

"Yes, and a skilled one, too," Luke replied. "But I feared that his love for you would interfere with his training, so he agreed to bring you to Jakku to be under the care of a friend until his training was complete. Unfortunately, he was killed by Kylo Ren and his followers."

"What about my mother?" Rey had tears in her eyes.

"Rey, I'm sorry, but we have to leave," he said, solemnly. "I'll answer the rest of your questions later." Luke led Rey back through the maze of tunnels. When they reached the ladder, through the opening, Rey could see that it was already night. The climb up was long and exhausting, as both Luke and Rey were tired from exploring the Sanctuary. The fresh air felt cool and relaxing when they got to the top. Although it was dark out, Rey could see, in the distance, the scattered lights of the Resistance base.

"Luke, something's happening at the base," she said, pointing to the dense smoke clouds.

"Leia," he gasped.

* * *

Finn was one of twenty soldiers standing ready at the eastern gate. With him were Chewbacca and Shi. Everyone had their weapons fixed on the slowly dissolving, green, energy grid that separated them from whoever was trying to get in.

"Hold position!" someone yelled over the dying *WIRRR* of the gate's generators. Suddenly, the durasteel beams, holding up the generators, collapsed, completely destroying them, and wiping out the whole grid system surrounding the base. All of the soldiers flinched, and Chewbacca gave a worried grunt. The jungle, that stood silent in front of them, was a big silhouette of trees, vines, and other plants. Then, out of the darkness came Rowin, Nejai, and Kain. Each of them carried a lightsaber, which they ignited simultaneously revealing red blades.

"Fire!" The Resistance soldiers began firing their blasters at the oncoming Knights of Ren. Instinctively, they deflected the laser bolts with their own weapons. Some of which bounced back and hit the soldiers, killing them instantly. Finn, Shi, and Chewbacca hid behind some stacked crates, firing at the enemy from cover.

Meanwhile, Leia watched the battle from the holoprojector in the command center. There was nothing she could do to stop the Knights from mowing down her troops.

"That's odd," said a woman standing nearby. Leia walked over to see what was wrong.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"General, just before the grid went down, I picked up six enemy signatures," the woman replied. "But now, I am picking up only these three." She pointed to three red dots in a holographic map of the base. One was only fifty yards behind the group of soldiers, the second, by the comms tower, and the last one was right outside the south entrance to the Temple. Leia looked at the map and then back at the fight.

"They aren't the same ones," she realized.

"Exactly. There are the three attacking our troops, the ones we see, but then there's these unknown signatures, scattered around the base."

"You mean, there could be more already in here?"

"Possibly," said the woman. "The scanner does show signs of being tampered with, but I do suggest we pull whoever's left back." Leia nodded and pressed a button on the holoprojector's console. It turned on a mic.

 _"Shi...you ne...to...ever..one...Shi...do...co...py?"_ Leia's voice was mostly static in Shi's earpiece.

"General, I can't understand you. General?" Shi spoke into his mic. There was no response. He had gotten separated from Finn, Chewbacca, and the few remaining soldiers. Going further away from the battle, he tried to establish a better connection. "General, this is Shi. Do you read me?" Still no answer. "General Organa, this is Lamar, do you co...Ahhhh." Shen, one of the Knights, had sneaked up behind him and rammed his lightsaber through Shi's chest. Finn, barely hearing his scream over the other sounds of the battle, turned around to see him fall dead on the ground. Filled with anger, he sent laser bolts flying at the Knight, who easily blocked the attack with his saber. One of the bolts came back and hit Finn in his left shoulder. He hollered in pain and fell to his knees. Chewbacca saw this happen, and when Shen started walking toward the wounded Finn, he charged at him, firing his bowcaster. Unfortunately, the Knight picked the wookie up with the Force and slammed him against the stone floor.

"Now, I will show you what happens to traitors when they betray the First Order," Shen said, through the mic in his helmet. Kneeling on the ground, Finn watched as the last Resistance soldiers were killed by Kain and the other Knights. "Rey," he thought, "if only you and Luke were here." Shen raised his lightsaber above Finn's head, but when he tried to bring it down, he was blocked by a green saber.

"Finn…take Chewy and find Leia," Luke said, struggling against the Knight. Finn quickly rolled away, barely escaping the red lightsaber piercing the ground. He reached Chewbacca, and helped get him on his feet.

"Ah, how unwise of you to take on all of us," mocked Shen. He moved away from Luke, gathering with Kain, Nejai, and Rowin as they advanced on the lone Jedi.

"If your leader couldn't defeat me," Luke said, "why should I expect his followers to do any different?" He held his lightsaber in a defensive position, waiting for the Knights to make the first move.

"Kylo Ren was weak!" Rain shouted back. "He was haunted by the shadows of his past. But we are not. Our master, the one you call Snoke, has only ever given us knowledge and power, which we will use to wipe out the Resistance and the Jedi forever." Suddenly, they rushed forward and swung their lightsabers at Luke. Nejai tried to strike at his legs, but Luke quickly blocked her attack. Rowin and Shen both attacked diagonally but were also countered. Kain moved swiftly behind Luke, who was busy blocking attacks from the front. He swung at the Jedi's neck, but Luke ducked and spun away. He, then, used the Force to knock Kain onto his back.

* * *

While Luke fought the four Knights, Finn and Chewbacca hurried back to the command center in the Temple. They needed to get Leia and everyone else off of the planet. Upon reaching the building, Finn spotted Rey running towards them.

"Rey," he smiled, "glad to see your safe."

"Yeah, barely," she replied. "When we got here, one of those things was attacking Leia and the others. Luckily, Luke killed him and then saved you two." Chewbacca, still in pain, gave a grunt of thanks to Rey.

"We have to get a message out to the capital ships or send a X-Wing," Finn said.

"No use. Leia said they destroyed our communications relay, and none of the remaining X-Wings have fuel."

"We could use the Falcon."

"Finn, what are you..."

"Just listen," he interrupted, as Leia, along with R2-D2 and BB-8, joined them.

"Where's Luke?" she asked.

"Still fighting those guys with the lightsabers," he answered. "Anyway, I have a plan to get everyone out of here. If Chewy, Rey, and I can get to the Millennium Falcon, we could use it's comms system to transmit a message."

"No, I can't. I have to go help Luke," Rey said. "Why can't you two just do it?"

"Because...I don't understand him," Finn whispered and nodded his head at Chewbacca, who grunted an insult.

"Alright, nevermind. Leia, can they use Artoo and BB-8 to help boost the signal?"

"Of course," she answered. While Chewbacca led the droids to the ship, Rey handed Finn Luke's old lightsaber.

"Just in case," she said and then ran to join her master.

* * *

Luke was still on the defensive as the Knights of Ren continued to attack. Each swing, though successfully blocked, drew closer and closer to its target. It was only a matter of time before he would be struck down. Yet, Luke fought with all his strength. Rowin had pushed him up against a metal rail, and he and Shen took turns swinging at his sides. Luke kicked Shen's chest, making him stumble just far enough back for Luke to use the Force and push him away. Rowin, distracted for a moment, tried to stab his side, but Luke grabbed his left wrist and slammed him into the rail. With both of them down, he was able to join Rey, who had caught up with the battle. Side by side, lightsabers ignited, they stood against the four Knights.

"So, this is the girl who everyone is talking about," Kain said. "Our master was amazed when he heard about your…gifts." Rey was quiet.

"I won't let Snoke deceive anyone else," Luke replied.

"But doesn't she deserve to know the truth?" Suddenly, there was a loud, fan-like sound. Two transports descended from the sky and landed in the Temple's central courtyard. Their passenger doors flipped open, and Rey saw dozens of Resistance droids, pilots, and officers, including Leia, climb in. "No!" Kain leapt at the two Jedi. He Force-pushed Rey onto her back and swung at Luke. He blocked several diagonal attacks before swinging low at Kain's feet. Rey stood back up and was attacked by Rowin. She parried a thrust at her chest, hitting the Knight's blade to the right and then swinging left at his waist. Rowin dodged the attack and moved backwards.

"What are you waiting for?" he shouted behind him at Shen and Nejai, who were just watching the fights. Immediately, Shen joined in attacking Luke, and Nejai began swinging at Rey. They battled fiercely, blocking, dodging, and parrying as the Knights pressed on, unrelentingly. Luke was able to hold off his attackers. However, Rey had never fought two people at once. Luke had only taught her one-on-one combat. She barely avoided getting her back sliced as Nejai moved around her.

* * *

"There they are." Finn pointed through the Millennium Falcon's cockpit at the battle raging in the courtyard. After R2 and BB-8 jumpstarted the comms system, he sent a message to the array of capital ships above Tython. Luckily, they responded and brought transports to rescue the Resistance who were trapped on the planet. Now, Chewbacca flew the Falcon, hovering it just above the tree line. They stayed in a close enough range to help Rey and Luke, but to keep from damaging the ship's vertical thrusters, they had to keep moving in, almost, a half-circle. Soon, Finn noticed another ship on their right. It was the Knights' stealth ship, which was being flown by Malik, the Knight who disabled the communications array. Before the fight, Kain had ordered him to go back and retrieve their ship.

"Chewy, we got company," Finn said. The stealth ship began firing twin laser cannons at the Jedi. Most of the shots were either too high or too low, hitting the ground. Some of them, however, found Luke, but he deflected the bolts away with his saber. Kain and Shen, not wanting to accidentally get hit, backed away. Rey and her attackers moved away from the blasts.

"Rrrh," Chewbacca grunted.

"I'll get on the turret," Finn said, pretending that's what the wookie told him to do. He quickly climbed down the ladder and turned on the controls. "Alright…just like last time," he told himself. Getting into the seat, Finn swiveled the turret to face the other ship. He pressed hard on the firing triggers and shot several blasts into the left wing. Unfortunately, its tough armor prevented too much damage. Finn fired again, but still the ship barely took a hit. Instead, it turned and began firing at the Falcon. A laser bolt hit the side, causing it to shake and lurch left.

"Chewy, where are our forward shields!" Finn shouted up to the cockpit. Chewbacca roared in response. Another blast was fired, but the Falcon avoided it. Finn fired more shots, which did little damage to the armored ship. He realized that it would be pointless to keep shooting at it. He climbed out of the gunner's position and walked into the cockpit. Chewbacca was piloting the ship, while BB-8 and R2 tried to repair the damaged systems. "Chewy, can you land the Falcon in this area?" asked Finn. The wookie gave a puzzling grunt and then an upset roar. "Woah, hey, hey." Finn held up his hands in defense. "I'm going to go help them, but I need you to get the ship on the ground."

"Rrh," Chewbacca acknowledge. He pulled down on a throttle and the Falcon began descending. Finn stood at the closed docking ramp, and when the ship finally landed, he lowered the ramp and ran out.

In front of him, the fight was still going on. Luke appeared to have the upper hand over Kain and Shen, but Rey was getting pushed around by Nejai and Rowin. She had several cuts and burns from getting punched, kicked, and singed by the red sabers.

"Finn! Help her!" Luke shouted. Finn took out the lightsaber Rey gave him earlier, Luke's blue one. He ignited it as he ran up to Rey. He swung at Rowin, who was, momentarily, surprised at his arrival. Rowin blocked and jabbed at Finn's chest. He parried and stabbed at Rowin's left leg, but he missed and only grazed it. The Knight hollered in pain and staggered backwards. Finn advanced on him and ducked as Rowin swung horizontally, barely missing his head. During his training to be a stormtrooper, Finn had been taught how to use melee weapons, especially swords. He also learned how to find an enemy's weakness. For Rowin, it was his balance. Finn seized an opportunity and tackled him. Knocking Rowin to the ground, Finn tried to stab him with his lightsaber, but Rowin blocked with his own saber. For almost a minute, they struggled against each other. Soon, Finn could see his opponent's strength failing. He stabbed again, and this time, he struck the right side of Rowin's chest. The Knight's head jerked up, and he let out a painful gasp before going silent and collapsing on the ground, dead.

"Finn, watch out!" Rey stood in front of her friend, blocking Nejai's saber with the one her father made. Finn quickly got back up, as Nejai pushed Rey to the side and swung at him again. He evaded, giving Rey a chance to move behind her and cut her back. Furious, Nejai spun around and punched her right in the jaw, and, as Rey backed up stunned, she delivered a strong kick to her stomach. It knocked Rey off her feet and caused her to hit the back of her head on the ground.

"Rey!" Finn swung down at the Knight's left shoulder, but she moved aside. She knocked the lightsaber out of his hands. Then, grabbing him by the throat, she raised her red blade, but, before she could kill him, Luke came up behind her, took hold of her arm, and rammed his lightsaber's green blade straight through her back. Rey, who kept slipping in and out of consciousness, remembers seeing Nejai's body fall to the ground, the other three Knights of Ren escaping in their ship, and Luke gently carrying her back to the Falcon.

* * *

 _"Rey, I know you are scared. These are only your first steps. But trust the Force, for it will guide..."_

The steady beeping of a heart rate monitor filled Rey's ears. As she woke up, her eyes focused on the soft lights in the ceiling above her. Rolling her head to the right, she saw that she was in a medical room. People and droids strolled past the windows.

"I see you're getting better," Luke said. Rey had forgotten about the Jedi standing at the foot of the bed.

"Where am I?"

 _"Echo of Hope._ One of Leia's capital ships," Luke replied. Rey tried to sit up, but pain filled her head, causing her to lay back down. "You took quite a beating in that fight."

"Yeah what…what happened after it?" Rey asked.

"Well, after I killed Nejai, that Knight you were fighting, the others fled in their ship. After that, Finn, Chewy, and I brought you here."

"Finn, is he ok?"

"Yes, he's fine," Luke said. "Stayed by your side for over an hour." He walked to the side of her bed and sat down. "Rey...before, in the Sanctuary, you asked me about your mother."

"I understand if you don't wanna tell me right now."

"No, I've been keeping it from you for too long; you deserve the truth. Your mother's name was Sabine Wren, the daughter of a Mandalorian queen and...Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Obi-Wan? Wasn't he the Jedi that trained you?" Rey asked.

"Yes," Luke answered," and he also taught my father. Anyways, after the Battle of Endor, Sabine met Jacen, your father. They fell in love, and, two years later, they got married. Jacen was just starting his Jedi training when Sabine found out that she was pregnant with you. He was beyond excited. Unfortunately, your mother died a year after you were born. Jacen was filled with grief, and he became focused on taking care of you. Eventually, he started to abandon his training. I knew you were important to him, but putting aside everything he'd worked so hard for would destroy him. So, he agreed to bring you to Jakku until he was done." Rey was about to cry, knowing, from what Luke told her in the Sanctuary, that Kylo Ren killed her father. Luke stood up and walked toward the door.

"They loved you," said Luke. "When you feel better, head to the bridge, we'll be waiting for you."

"Wait," Rey said. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she slowly raised her head. There was no pain as she sat up. Luke helped her to her feet, and together, they walked through the ship's hallways to the bridge.

Arriving, they found Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, Finn, and the three droids gathered by the central viewing port. Rey stood next to Finn, who placed a bandaged arm around her shoulders. Behind the group, Resistance officers readied the ship for the jump to Bespin. Rey watched as the rest of the fleet blasted into hyperspace, soon followed by the _Echo of Hope._

The End


End file.
